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Halifax, Monday, February 12, 2007
It is with great honour that I join you this evening in this wonderful celebration of African Nova Scotian history and culture. It is very hard for me to contain my emotions, as I look into your eyes and see them glowing with the rich heritage that you all share.
Your performances have stirred up in my mind powerful images of African Nova Scotian pioneers, the countless women and men, who worked tirelessly to help build the country we share today.
I realize with sadness that many Canadians do not know that Nova Scotia is the home of one of the oldest African communities on this continent. Even today, many of us overlook the Black contribution to Canadian society.
Yet I think it is your community that has proven, time and time again, that the story of the African presence in Canada can no longer be ignored. This history must be taught and celebrated everywhere, as it is an important chapter in the story of our great country.
Do we know that Black slaves were the backbone of the labour force that built Halifax?
Do we know that hundreds of Black Loyalists sacrificed their lives to defend what would eventually become the Canadian Confederation?
Well one thing I know is that my installation as the first Black Governor General of Canada would not have been possible if it were not for the struggle of your ancestors. Against all odds, they lifted themselves up from the miry clay of racism and segregation so that all Canadians could stand firmly on the solid rock of freedom and justice.
Do you remember Portia White, one of the greatest singers Canada has ever known? Well she worked hard to tear down the barriers of racism that almost prevented her from achieving international fame.
You must have heard of Viola Desmond, another woman from Nova Scotia. By refusing to sit in the “Coloured section” at the old Roseland Theatre, she helped to put an end to racial segregation in Nova Scotia and the rest of the country, several years before Rosa Parks took a similar stand in the United States.
And I cannot forget the Honourable Mayann Francis, a trailblazer in the field of human rights, health and law, who was recently installed as the 31st Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. What a powerful legacy!
Let us not forget Senator Donald Oliver who has undertaken impressive work ensuring that minorities have equal opportunities to pursue their dreams in Canada.
As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Order of Canada, I must also salute the great playwright Walter Borden, and professor Wanda Thomas Bernard, both engaged African Nova Scotians who are recent Members of the Order.
Canada would not be the country that it is today without the vital contributions of Nova Scotia’s indigenous Black community.
And so I believe that we all have a duty to ensure that your history, which is really everyone’s history, is never forgotten but becomes an integral part of our collective memory. For the more these historical truths are shared, the more our country will be able to overcome the lingering legacy of slavery and injustice that still undermine our capacity to fight the foundation of racism today.
As you know, much work remains to be done. Whether it is hidden acts of vandalism or expressed through graffiti spray-painted on the wall, racism continues to sink its insidious roots into the fertile soil of indifference and fear of the other.
So we must stand together as a country and tell the world, in the words of the old Negro Spiritual, that we shall not be moved.
We shall not be moved by the spirit of hatred that seeks to pit neighbour against neighbour.
We shall not be moved by racial discrimination that limits the opportunities of many minorities seeking employment.
We shall not be moved by the forces of terror and destruction that seek to intimidate some of our most vulnerable communities.
I am reminded of the haunting story of Africville. Here too, ignorance and inequity joined forces to demolish what once was the living soul of African Nova Scotia. Yet in the face of this sad tale, I draw great inspiration from the traditions of resilience that have made your community so strong.
I say this because the story of your community is not only a tale of pain and suffering. No, it is also a prophetic story of hope and rebirth, reminding us that even in the midst of the storm, there is a balm in Nova Scotia to heal the sick and wounded soul.
Just look at the way you have all come together to raise money to build a new office for the Society.
Look at the way the old residents of Africville are, after all these years, banding together to rekindle the sense of belonging they once shared.
Look at the way your community joined together to combat the circumstances that led to the deaths of Martaze Cortaze Provo and Brandon Courtney Beals.
Your strength and determination to overcome adversity show me and the rest of the country that the spirit of community is well and alive in African Nova Scotia. So I encourage you to build on this spirit and ensure that it is transmitted to future generations.
We are living in a time in which the compassion, solidarity and community are being chipped away by indifference and self-gratification. This “everyone for himself” attitude, or what some of you call the “bling bling” mentality, is producing people who are more concerned about the brand-name on their new shirt than about the well-being of their neighbour. Can I get a witness somebody?
So I think that the time has come for all Canadians—women and men, young and old—to lift up our voices and sing, or maybe even rap, a new song.
A song that testifies to the unwavering power of communities to develop meaningful solutions to what appear to be intractable problems.
A song that inspires us all to reach out to our neighbours, especially youth, so that they can join us in building a better world.
A song that moves us all to hold out even when the times are getting rough.
And so I stand with you tonight as governor general of Canada to support you in your journey to build a stronger and more prosperous community.
On this 200th anniversary of the passing of Britain’s Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, let us use African Heritage Month as an opportunity to reflect on our past and to encourage all Canadians to renew the vow so precious to Martin Luther King that we lift ourselves out of “the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.”
Thank you.